AUTHOR=Eacker Stephen, Dawson Ted, Dawson Valina
TITLE=The interplay of microRNA and neuronal activity in health and disease
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
VOLUME=7
YEAR=2013
PAGES=136
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fncel.2013.00136
DOI=10.3389/fncel.2013.00136
ISSN=1662-5102
ABSTRACT= MicroRNA (miRNA) are small 19-23nt regulatory RNAs that function by modulating mRNA translation and/or turnover in a sequence-specific fashion. In the nervous system, miRNA regulate the production of numerous proteins involved in synaptic transmission. In turn neuronal activity can regulate the production and turnover of miRNA through a variety of mechanisms. In this way, miRNAs and neuronal activity are in a reciprocal homeostatic relationship that balances neuronal function. MiRNA function is critical in pathological states related to over-excitation such as epilepsy and stroke, suggesting miRNA’s potential as a therapeutic target. We review the current literature relating the interplay of miRNA and neuronal activity and provide future directions for defining miRNA’s role in disease.